The collection of New Guinea tribal artifacts began in the late 19th century during the period of European colonialism and exploration of the region. Many early collectors were anthropologists, missionaries, or colonial administrators who were interested in documenting the diverse cultures and societies of the region.

The first known collector of New Guinea tribal artifacts was Sir William MacGregor, the Governor of British New Guinea from 1895 to 1898. MacGregor was an avid collector of artifacts and ethnographic objects, and he acquired a large collection of New Guinea tribal artifacts during his time in the region. He was followed by other collectors, including the American anthropologist Margaret Mead, who conducted extensive fieldwork in the region in the early 20th century and amassed a significant collection of artifacts.

During the early 20th century, many New Guinea tribal artifacts were acquired by museums and private collectors in Europe and North America. These more...

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An early carved Papua New Guinea boat form dowry bowl, height…

Carved PNG Dowry Boat Bowl

An early carved Papua New Guinea boat form dowry bowl, height 18 cm, length 90 cm, width 46 cm

Coconut bowl, Pacific Islands/PNG 12 cm

Island-inspired Coconut Bowl from Pacific/PNG

Coconut bowl, Pacific Islands/PNG 12 cm

Important large Huon Gulf face bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and…

Huon Gulf Face Bowl from Tami Islands

Important large Huon Gulf face bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and engraved hardwood and natural pigment. Black is faded probably because they used battery black instead of traditional methods, length 78 x 36.5 cm. Provenance: made by nomue (age late middle)…

Huon Gulf Ichthyomorphic bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and…

Huon Gulf Ichthyomorphic Bowl from Tami Islands

Huon Gulf Ichthyomorphic bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and engraved hardwood, length 62 x 28 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, New South Wales

Early Huon Gulf food bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and engraved…

Carved Huon Gulf Food Bowl from Tami Islands

Early Huon Gulf food bowl, Tami Islands. Carved and engraved hardwood, length 39.5 x 21 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, New South Wales

An old wooden feast bowl, huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea,…

Carved Wooden Feast Bowl from Papua New Guinea

An old wooden feast bowl, huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea, with finely carved and incised designs to external rim, height 15.5 cm, length 52.5 cm, width 31 cm

A Tami Island hardwood bowl, elongated elliptical shape carved…

Tami Island Hardwood Bowl with Frigate Bird Carvings

A Tami Island hardwood bowl, elongated elliptical shape carved with a frigate bird in low relief to each side. The base carved with a stylized fish with mask face highlighted with lime. Two small breaks, one repaired, 41 cm length

Papua New Guinea blackened Pottery bowl, decorated with sea…

Sea Horse Pottery Bowl from Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea blackened Pottery bowl, decorated with sea horse heads in high relief. Provenance Nigel Hillind collection, 26 cm diameter

Papua New Guinea feast bowl, with carved side handles.…

Papua New Guinea Feast Bowl with Carved Handles

Papua New Guinea feast bowl, with carved side handles. Provenance: Nigel Hillind collection, 43 cm length

A Fish-Shaped bowl, Trobriand Islands, used for the serving of…

Fish-shaped serving bowl with mother of pearl inlay

A Fish-Shaped bowl, Trobriand Islands, used for the serving of food. This bowl is carved from a single piece of wood in the form of a fish. The wood has been highly polished and the rim has been decorated with an intricate mother of pearl inlay. Height 5…

A large and impressive bowl, Trobriand Islands, Papua New…

Serpentine Carved Wooden Bowl from Trobriand Islands

A large and impressive bowl, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea, carved from a single piece of wood. The bowl has a wide flat rim that is carved with designs of spiralling snakes, height 14.5 cm, width 74 cm, depth 43.5 cm

A large Ramu River feast bowl, decorated with carved stylised…

Ramu River Feast Bowl with Frigate Bird Carvings

A large Ramu River feast bowl, decorated with carved stylised frigate birds, 70 cm length

A raku fired elliptical food bowl from Papua New Guinea, with…

Elliptical Raku Bowl with Avian Handles from Papua New Guinea

A raku fired elliptical food bowl from Papua New Guinea, with incised decoration and avian handles. Some losses, 26 cm at widest point

Papua New Guinea Sepik River feast bowl with cruciform…

Sepik River Feast Bowl with Cruciform Decoration

Papua New Guinea Sepik River feast bowl with cruciform decoration, Provenance: Nigel Hillind Colllection

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River bowl with stand, coiled raku…

Sepik River Spirit Bowl with Stand

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River bowl with stand, coiled raku fired clay bowl with incised spirit faces painted with red, ochre, and kaolin pigment. Provenance; one Christian Fund collection; ex Sotherby's, 26 cm diameter

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River bowl with stand, coiled raku…

Sepik River Clay Bowl with Stand and Ochre Pigment

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River bowl with stand, coiled raku fired clay bowl with incised pattern and applied ochre pigment. Chip to the surface. Provenance; one Christian Fund collection; ex Sotherby's, 25 cm diameter

Trobriand Island elliptical wooden feast bowl, Provenance:…

Trobriand Island Elliptical Feast Bowl from Nigel Hillind Collection

Trobriand Island elliptical wooden feast bowl, Provenance: Nigel Hillind Collection

Crocodile bowl from the Buin Province Papua New Guinea, 59 cm…

Buin Province Crocodile Bowl

Crocodile bowl from the Buin Province Papua New Guinea, 59 cm length

A large wooden Trobriand Island feast bowl, with incised…

Trobriand Island Feast Bowl with Metal Work

A large wooden Trobriand Island feast bowl, with incised pattern and metal work, 37 cm diameter

A Papua New Guinean food bowl with carved handles, 50 cm length

Papua New Guinean Carved Food Bowl, 50cm Length

A Papua New Guinean food bowl with carved handles, 50 cm length

A ceremonial bowl, Tami Islands, Huon Gulf, 20th century, with…

Ceremonial Bowl with Unique Club Form Designs, Tami Islands

A ceremonial bowl, Tami Islands, Huon Gulf, 20th century, with unusual carved club form designs to the rim on either side, 86 cm long

A collection of curios from New Guinea, including a pig jaw,…

Pig Jaw and Curios: New Guinea's Fascinating Artifacts

A collection of curios from New Guinea, including a pig jaw, comprising a lime bowl with cassowarry bone spatula from Tambanum and a koteka, the pig jaw 40 cm long

A large vintage Png/Trobriand Islands wooden food bowl,…

A large vintage Png/Trobriand Islands wooden food bowl, diameter 40.5 cm.

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River Shaman's bowl together with a…

A Papua New Guinea Sepik River Shaman's bowl together with a Baliem finger cutting tool

Trobriand Islands bowl, carved in the form of a fish, with…

Fish-shaped bowl with cats eye stone eye and decorative patterning

Trobriand Islands bowl, carved in the form of a fish, with decorative patterning to tail and fins, set with cats eye stone for eye, length 50 cm

Papua New Guinea Sawos people 'Kamana' bowl. Conical pottery…

Sawos Kamana Conical Pottery Bowl with Incised Exterior Decoration

Papua New Guinea Sawos people 'Kamana' bowl. Conical pottery bowl with incised exterior decoration, diameter 27.5 cm

Tami Island bowl from Papua New Guinea, elongated elliptical…

Tami Island bowl from Papua New Guinea, elongated elliptical shape with zoomorphic carving in high relief to each side. 69 cm length, collection of John Perkins

Four elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John…

Four elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John Perkins

Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John…

Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John Perkins

Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John…

Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John Perkins

Four elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John…

Four elliptical Ramu River food bowls, collection of John Perkins